Sounds like it was a pretty good match for Andy, given how he must have been feeling. It's frustrating not being able to see him play - but I guess we'll have all that to look forward to in the future when he's finally up where he belongs with the big boys. What's the opinion on the Madrid Masters. Does anyone think he'll try to qualify?

I personally think he was wasting his time entering the Mons competition and should have rested and tried for wild cards or qualifying for the Kremlin Cup, or the Stockholm Open. Many more points available there.

He should now rest next week and go for the qualification into the Madrid Masters, but of course cannot get a wild card now!

If knocked out early at Mons, he can still change and try for the former competitions.

I've been trying to follow the logic in the decision to enter Mons too. Perhaps Andy's camp feel it's important for him to ground himself after the Thailand Open. It would have been easy for him to get carried away with his success there. At first I thought along exactly the same lines as you.. but maybe it's right for him to get back down to earth again for a spell. Oh, who knows. I just hope that it all goes right for him. The general opinion seems to be that it will be a few years before we see him up there - but I don't know. I have this feeling that there are more revelations to come from Mr. Murray before the year is out.

I also thought along the lines of what David just said, I would love to know the reasons why the murray camp persuaded him to do the tourny. I can only think it's to keep the momentum and for him to stay focused.

The rules do not allow Andy to enter Stockholm, Moscow or Vienna as he is already on the direct entry list for Sacramento Challenger.

These tournaments were not an option available to him.

Similarly, Madrid Masters is not an option for Andy as he is already on the direct entry list for Kolding Challenger that week. He is not allowed to withdraw from one tournament to enter another if he is on the direct entry list. If he were on the alernate list or the list for qualifying things would be different.

Andy planned to enter 5 Challengers on the assumption that he wouldn't be able to play Bangkok (wildcard assumed to go to Andy went to Hewitt), that he was too far down the list of alternates for Madrid and Paris Masters.

When Udomchoke got into the Bangkok draw directly when lots of players withdrew, it meant there was a free wildcard for Andy and his run to the final changed everything. However, they had already put his name down for 3 Challengers and the deadline date (3 weeks in advance) had passed. Therefore he was committed to these tournaments. His only option was to withdraw and take a week's rest.

For the final 2 challengers the deadline date had not passed so the direct entry lists have not appeared and Andy is free to play ATP Basel/St Petersberg and Paris Masters qualifying should he wish to.